Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-16
THE WHITE CAPS.
.crs OF LAwLgsssEss BY THE Wei
LANrEs OF IsDrAEA.
,vsnty Men Whipped During the Past
week in Garrison county-A
Plueky Farmer.
,scocI.l dl.patch to the Giobo-Dcmocratl

tsroclsi dispatch to the Globe emocratl
During the past week no less than
IUentv men have been taken cut in diff
fcrcpi parts OF Harrison county and
whipped 10y the White Cap vigilantes.
over in Spencer township, last week,
rrobably two Of the most sensational
csscs took place, Aaron Bitner, a
veolthv farmer over sixty years old,
and Esquire John Hildebrand were
taken ont and whipped until they were
rearly dead They live in a small set
fcmcnt on Big Indian creek. At that
Mace the reporter was unable TO see the
runcipals, rs they were both in bed
ana their families would not talk about
tc occurrences. From o laxative
righbor, however, the following par
fulaIs were learned. Bitner was a
vidovcr and about four months ago he
married widow with one son about
seven years of age. From the begin
ming il is said, Bitner had no affection
for the boy. and was continually abu-
sing him. The young fellow was pretty
wild, and after getting IN several
scrapcs, was, it IL alleged, numerically
whipped 10y his step-iather. A week
nco the boy got into trouble again and
the story Is that Bitner took him out to
q shed to punish him.
BRUTAL PUNISHMENT.
At the end OF fifteen minutes the
bows mother became alarmed, and
went out 10 see how the punishment
was progressing. To her horror she
bchcld her son hanging from n raiter,
with % clOlhcsli line around his neck.
Near by stood her husband, with n
fendish look upon his face. The
mother screamed for help, which soon
arrived. and after much difficulty the
hali-dcad boy WAS restored to life; but
lo had narrow escape, and even now
is vCIy III from tie effects Of his ter
riblc experience. The story Of the
alleged brutal outrage was soon noised
about. and on Monday about twenty
masked men rode into town, and,
taking Bitucr, gave him a whipping.
The next case vasasfollows: Esquire
Hildcbmud threatened TO kill his wife
and daughter. and otherwise behaved
very uubtcomngly. He was also
noertd on the same night. He was
fined and rut under bond 10y Esquire
Slaughter last Friday for abusing his
family.
Mott Station IS Just now enjoying a
little sensation Of almost a similar cha
uctor On Thursday morning early
u,crs found near the depot the follow
ing very expressive note tackled upon a
post.
"NouE.-PLil Zeincr, Harvey EN-
ilv, John Long. and Robert Mott, the
vLiskey ring, had better quit the way
tlcy are n-doirg. If they don't they
viii be taken out and whipped. Bob
Mott had better leave the county.
Signed WHITE CAPS.
There was great excitement among
the mon. and Mott mmcliatcly sold ont
and left. The tth-Ts, however, are
doing better.
oNE oT TIE VICTIMS.
Yes, SIR. thc White Caps whipped
mo lat Wednesday, drawled a pale
faced, lazylooking young man, as he
leaned over q 1ickcty fence in the very
widest part of Harrison county, ind,
in answer TO a GiobC-DCm0crU re-
U0itcr's interrogation. The reporter
lad heard OF several recent Outrages
and had gone there on bis tour Of in
vcstipation. The u0me of the indl-
Nidual referred to is Joel Wright, AMI
De lives OH 80 small place ina little ham
Let called Shakoryillc. about eight miles
cast of Ccrydon His property con-
sists of lam, through which runs
huge ledge Of rock. To use his own
expression, the soil Is "not fertile
enough to msc III ON and do 1t
night
The stony Of bis troubles with the
White Gaps is best told in ms own
ucUage: "i am poor man, and live
l.u with my wife and brothcr-in-lRw,
lae Allen. ! was always sort of weakly,
li never ahle go work much, and peo-
}lc sud / was lazy, but l ten you the
truth. / want 10 work as much as any
one. hut can't; lm sick man. Last
Wednesday night / was lying here IN
l,j. a-slecpu- just as nice as any one
would want To-. when something got
hold of my throat. j was about half
awake hy that time. and | hollered
ont: My God, Mirandy' (meaning
NV wifel, 'N0Her's dog has got
ne. / saw il was q man, an / hauled
ctf an knocked Linn over against lke's
bed. Then two forc Of EN- grabbed
ne. an ] tit ti' they ticlme Then my
wife she screamed. and was bad skeered.
The chillrUfcued, too, an begged 'em
not t. hurt me. There We're seven of
tire men. for / counted ca. Ono of
the men lad q lantern They was
dressed in common clothes, but each
bad p handkerchief tied across his
mouth ar ] nose, am his A.. was pulled
down 30 Dee could just see.
HmHrp AVD WHIPPED.
" Seeing / couidut do nothing |
won't with them 10 woods near here,
whore they stripped of my shirt and
tied Inc 10 a saplng. Then one man
said joel, there's been lots Of steal
in goin' on bout here. an while we
don't FAY You did it, you're a sort OF a
NO count fellow an don't peryide for
yer family. We've goin' to whip you.
An if You don't hump yourself an go
10 work wen come back an give you
another hcatin'.
This skcercd me. but I'm not a
ruvous man, and l knOwcd hadn't
done 40 wrong; so just said, kinder
pleasant like:
Gentlemen, if have done any
Cling wrong / want 20 hang for 1t.
lie bluff wouldn't work.
"That kind OF a bluff wouldn't work.
4 oush, would II. Joel?" said his wife,
Who lad Como out and stood near, with
a smile or lsr face, while Joel related
bis experience.
AS was sewn" continued Joel,
plo is d great talker, and evidently
slightly proud on accoun. Of the sud
lDu prominence be has secured by his
b. White Cap" experience, Zone Of EN-
.ut sappin' and nit Inc seven or eight
Zines with 70 ON uy bare back. 1t hurt
le l'azes. and when | bollered 50
uch they STOPPED, and run over to
hcir horses, which they got on and rid
away. J.c Prcvn's boy saw EN- right
steward over there 10y the cut Ny
little gll came over and cut me loose.
amt over il yet They hurt me pref